Busting into New Fields

Some people are fortunate from a young age to know exactly where they are headed in life. Knowing this helps guide them towards the right majors in college, cities to live in and career paths to follow. Others are lucky enough to fall into a career that keeps them satisfied and fulfilled. But for many people, what we thought we wanted at 18, even 40, isn’t what we want now.Too many people look back and think that if only they had made different choices in their past their current selves would be passionate about their careers, making the difference in the world they always thought they would be, have the fame and fortune. Not enough people turn the “if onlys” into “what next,” as the fear of breaking into a new field leaves many people stuck in a place that makes them unhappy.

Segue from your current field to the next by finding crossovers between the twoIf you look hard enough, you may be able to transition into a new field by taking what you already know and applying it to a new career in your desired industry. Chances are there is an equivalent of your position in your desired field. Using that to get you into the field will give you an opportunity to learn more about what you’d like to be doing, while using skills you are already know. It will be easier to move into a new job within the new field once you have time under your belt already in said field.

This is ultimately a way of getting your foot in the door, which really helps when busting out of your current industry and learning about a new one. Figure out ways to apply what you already know to what you want to know, and not only will you be gaining knowledge about a new field, you’ll also have something to offer in return.

Take online courses and learn everything you can about the field you want to joinIf you can’t find a way to cold break into a new field, then it’s time to go back to school. This isn’t to say go back and get a brand new degree, but educating yourself in any way possible about the field you’d like to join will certainly help. Of course, some fields require certain degrees and education, like medicine and law, so if that is what you’d truly like to do then brace yourself for getting a new degree.

The internet is an unparalleled educational tool. While many people use it for social media and watching cat videos, it can be the resource that teaches you all you need to know about a new field without even leaving your living room. If it doesn’t have the answers, it tells you how to find the answers. If you are serious about breaking into a new career, then educate yourself to become as valuable as possible to a new company.

Find a mentor who will guide you into a new fieldLook to the people who already know the field to help you navigate your way into it. A good mentor will help you to take the right steps towards your goal. They’ve been there, they know the right way to go, obstacles that can be avoided, and they can even help you to determine if you’d even be satisfied in a new role at a new field.

Many jobs look glamorous from the outside, but once you’re actually doing them they don’t seem so impressive anymore. A mentor in the field can give you a first person experience, and can connect you with other people who can do the same, to help make sure that you’ve made the correct choice in selecting your new dream job. Listen to what they have to offer you, because an inside look can help you make the right choices even within a new field.

Don’t fear the unknown, because what you do now was once something you knew nothing aboutToo many people are stuck in their jobs because they don’t want to leave. Spending a decade, two decades, or more working in a field that doesn’t leave you satisfied doesn’t mean you’re stuck there for your next few working decades. Your life can go anywhere that you’d like it to, you just have to take the reins and make it happen.

You may be unhappy in your current industry, and what’s to say you’ll be happy in the next? Nothing, really, other than the fact that you know you aren’t happy and at least you have a fifty fifty chance at finding career satisfaction in a new role. On a more positive note, the longer you have to assess your choices and narrow down your interests, the greater the chance you’ll have at finding the right job for you. The better you know yourself, the better you’ll be able to choose what makes you happy.

Network in whatever ways you possibly canNetworking is a big way to help you break into a new industry. Go to community events and business after hours gatherings to meet anyone you can who may be the key that unlocks the door to a new job in a new field. Network online by following blogs, joining discussions, and being active on professional social networking sites. You’ll meet people outside of your local community, and be able to talk with people globally.

However you choose to network, meeting people will give you the connections that can help you to find the role that is best suited for you. It is a valuable resource that could just be the answer to how to break into a new field.

It may be daunting to leave what you know and bust into a new field, but it is far more daunting to spend a lifetime in a job that makes you miserable. Take the steps and you’ll be wishing you had done it sooner.